Mohun Bagan goalie Shibaji Banerjee, who played against Pele, dead

Shibaji Banerjee, who was a member of Mohun Bagan’s technical committee, died on Sunday evening after a heart attack.

Former Mohun Bagan goalkeeper Shibaji Banerjee died here on Sunday evening after a heart attack‎. He was in his 60s and is survived by wife and son. Banerjee had a history of heart problems but was a regular at Mohun Bagan’s games and was a member of the club’s technical committee.

Banerjee played in Mohun Bagan’s goal when New York Cosmos came calling with Pele in 1977. The match ended 2-2 and Banerjee pulled off a string off saves including a Pele free-kick.

Famous in his pink shirt and for saving penalty-kicks, Banerjee played for Mohun Bagan for 11 years. He did not concede a goal against arch-rivals East Bengal for four years, from 1977. He was instrumental in helping Mohun Bagan emerge joint-winners of the 1978 IFA Shield with Ararat Yerevan of the former USSR. That match too ended 2-2.